Cold water in a sippy cup with ice cubes. Your little one can chew on the cup and enjoy cool relief.

Frozen fruit juice slushy. You can make your own combo of fruit and freeze your blend in a 4 oz. zip-lock storage container. Then slightly thaw and serve it when needed. Frozen slushy pears mixed with apples were one of my son’s favorites.

Frozen breast milk. You can freeze this just the same as the fruit slushies and serve.

Always stay close when your baby is eating in case they choke.

2. Use a cold washcloth or spoon

Soak a small washcloth in water, squeeze out water, then freeze for at least an hour. Let baby chew on the washcloth after it comes out of the freezer. However, don’t leave your child unattended while she’s sucking or chewing on the washcloth, as this can be a choking hazard.

Put a metal spoon in the fridge for at least 15 minutes when the spoon is cool, gently rub the back of the spoon against your baby’s gums.

3. Teething toys

Silicone teething rings: Made of safe silicone, rather than latex or plastic, this teether is a safe choice

Wooden teethers: What works for one baby may not work for the next, so if silicone and rubber don’t do it, try a wooden teether. Just be sure to choose a brand that uses natural water-based sealants or food grade dyes. It should be unfinished or finished with organic flax seed oil.

Teething necklaces for mom are made of silicone and are great for baby to use while sitting in mom’s lap or in a baby carrier.

Also, never tie a teething ring around your baby’s neck, as it may be a choking hazard

4. Comforting distraction

A nice warm bath helps to distract a teething baby. This gives them the chance to take their mind off the pain by splashing around.

Breastfeeding: simply holding your little one close and breastfeeding them can help soothe your little one.

Dry the drool. Excessive drool is a large part of the teething process. Keeping it wiped up will prevent skin irritation, which will only make the process more of an ordeal for your baby.

5. Natural remedies

Parents have been using herbal remedies for hundreds of years to help ease their baby’s teething pain. Chamomile, Rosehip, Catnip or Clove tea, may be something to consider for teething relief. It helps to relax and soothe irritability.

6. Give your baby plenty of cuddles

Make sure your baby gets lots of hugs. Sometimes, the biggest comfort for a teething baby can be cuddle time with parent. Play and cuddle with your little one. Distract your child with a game like “peek-a-boo” to help take their mind off their discomfort

7. Medication

If your baby is in pain or has a mild raised temperature (less than 38C), you may want to give them a sugar-free painkilling medicine that’s specifically for babies and young children. These contain a small dose of paracetamol or ibuprofen.

However, never give aspirin to anyone under the age of 16 years, as this can cause Reye’s syndrome.

Always follow the instructions that come with the medicine. If you’re not sure, consult your doctor or pediatrician for advice on using medication to help with baby teething symptoms.

It’s irritating, it’s frustrating and it gets on your last nerve. Though it’s obnoxious and unacceptable, it’s actually effective for your child to get your attention. It’s whining. But, like other bad habits, you can nip it in the bud early with a few simple strategies to teach your child there are other appropriate, effective forms of communicating with you.

First, try limiting the situations that trigger it. Avoid extra errands when the kids are hungry. Don’t let them get involved in a frustrating game or project prior to bedtime. Pay attention when your child is talking, as sometimes whining is a reaction when a child feels you aren’t giving them your full attention. Praise them for not whining and talking in a normal and understandable voice that allows you to fully understand what they are saying to you.

When the whining begins, don’t overreact. Keep your response simple, calm and neutral. Ask your child to repeat the request in a normal tone. When giving in seems inevitable, don’t delay. If you must finish the grocery shopping so you can put dinner on the table, for instance, and your child starts whining for a snack, offer something healthy right away.

Once a limit has been set, parents should follow through. It’s imperative that both parents are on board with this limit and fully follow through when the whining rule has been violated.

If you have an older child that’s developing a whining habit, suggest they come up with a solution to their perceived boredom or other voiced problem. If you suggest possible alternatives, it might just prolong the child’s whining.

Sometimes whining can be the result of trauma and trouble in their life. A divorce, serious family illness or problems at school may be at the root. Additional positive attention and quality one-on-one time may be just the medicine your child needs at a time like this. Your pediatrician can also suggest alternatives to curb whining should the positive attention and disciplinary actions be ineffective.

Though we all worry about spoiling our child, rest assured that you cannot spoil your child with love. Love doesn’t spoil children. Love is imperative to a child’s healthy development, and it’s just not possible to love your child too much. They need caring adults to spend time with them, play with them, teach them, protect them, and enjoy life with them.

It’s a parent’s job to provide love, safety and encouragement. The process of growing up provides children with lots of challenges. Try to listen openly and understand their situation and communicate honestly with them when they have difficulties and letdowns in their life.

Set appropriate limits with your child and then adhere to them. Establishing limits with your child gives them a sense of safety and security. Sometimes parents do not set limits because they don’t want to fight with their children. They don’t want to cause bad feelings. They may beg a child to comply. Or they may make a rule and fail to enforce it. They may nag without ever enforcing the rules. None of these helps children.

When your child fails to adhere or comply with the boundaries you’ve set for them, be firm yet kind in your response. This lets them know that you’re serious about the rule but dedicated to helping and loving them.

Bear in mind though that each child is different and what works for one child may not work for another. For example, one child may respond well to the direct approach of telling them a specific time to be home, where another child may need a gentle reminder that it’s now time to come home.

Develop a firm but a kind manner of making and enforcing your household’s rules and expectations. There’s no need to fear our children, and there should be no need to instill a sense of fear in our children in order to get them to comply.

Toddlers can be fussy eaters who refuse to try a new food at least half of the time. Approximately half of all toddlers fit this description, so it is no wonder that food issues are a source of stress for parents.

Establishing healthy eating patterns is important to avoid problems such as obesity and eating disorders later in life. Various strategies can help your child accept a wider range of foods. It may be necessary to offer food to your child as many as 10 different times before they choose to eat it. The problem is, many parents get frustrated and give up before the fourth or fifth try.

Try to make foods fun. Colorful foods like carrot sticks, raisins, apples, grapes, cheese sticks and crackers can all be fun and healthy choices for your growing toddler. Explain to them that eating good food is important so they’ll grow big and strong, and how it will help them run faster and play longer.

Children learn behaviors from their parents. If you restrict yourself to a narrow range of foods, your child will take notice and mimic your caution. Don’t limit your child’s food variety to only those foods you prefer. It may be that your child’s tastes are different to yours, and perhaps you are simply serving them foods they don’t happen to like. Try to set a good example and try a variety of foods in front of your child. It could motivate them to do the same.

If your child seems healthy and energetic, then they are eating enough. If you are still concerned, keep an eye on how much food they actually eat over the day. Children tend to graze constantly, rather than restrict their eating to three meals per day like adults. You may be surprised how those little handfuls and snacks add up. For further reassurance, check your child’s growth and weight charts, or check with your child’s pediatrician.

Try not to worry, and remember, that unless a child is ill, they will eat. Children are very good at judging their hunger and fullness signals. Try to stay relaxed about mealtime and offer your child a wide variety of foods, and most importantly, remember to set a good example by trying a wide variety of foods yourself. You may discover you and your toddler share a new found favorite food!

Christmas time is really the most wonderful and magical time of the year especially for children. It is important to get prepared for it together. Here are some basic steps how to get prepared for the holiday season and decorate your home with your little ones.

1. Let the Music Play

Before starting, turn the classic Christmas songs on to create the festive mood. Music is great for every occasion, but for the holidays it’s extra magical. Here are some music ideas.

2. Choose Your Colour Scheme

Choosing the perfect Christmas decorations is far simpler with a colour scheme in mind. You can choose traditional red and green combo or go further and pick new contemporary colour combinations.

Here are some Christmas colour palette ideas.

3. Christmas Tree

The main attraction of the holiday season is the Christmas tree, so this should be your first port of call when you look to decorate your home for Christmas. It is very symbolic to use old ornaments from your childhood and tell stories and explain why those are special to you. Tell them that they can make a wish while hanging the first Christmas tree ornament. Make this process as fun and meaningful as you can. In case you need some ideas for Christmas tree decoration check out my special Pinterest board.

4. Deck the Halls and Kids Room

There are many simple touches you can add to the rest of your home to create a stylish festive look. A Christmas wreath is an essential festive accessory not just for the front door, wreaths can also be used throughout the home, suspended on mirrors or on internal doors. A small variety of garlands and other ornaments can also be utilised to decorate your halls or kids room.

Do not forget about windows. Here are some Christmas windows decorating ideas for you so you’ll never forget to furnish those windows, whether it is small, big, has wide window sills or not. Such simple windows would be magnificent and ready for the festivities in no time.

5. DIY with kids

DIY projects with your little ones teach valuable hands-on skills that are even more important in today’s screen-heavy environment. First of all, they get the satisfaction of creating something with their own hands, they become more patient and creative. Also, this is a perfect activity for the season of gratitude, they can make ornaments or gifts on their own for the others. What can be a better way of gratitude than by making something for them. The creative act, paired with our appreciation of others, is a wonderful way to express gratitude for the people who do so much for us. DIY with kids is the best way to teach them all these values through play. Kids DIY projects that you can start right now.

6. Letter to Santa

Writing a letter to Santa can be such an exciting activity for kids. This is a great time of year to show your children the joy of kindness and empathy. Writing a letter to Santa, beside personal wishes, can include a request for someone else – a good friend, sibling or less-fortunate child. Ask your child who they would like Santa to help this season. Empathy is a new feeling for small children and must be supported by their parents. Let children know that Christmas isn’t just about getting stuff. Teaching your child that empathy is at the root of love and faith can be folded into a wonderful tradition that includes writing a letter to Santa Claus.

Here are free printable templates for Santa letter

7. Family Movie Time

When all the decorations are up and you’re ready for some quality family time amid the chaos of the season, there’s nothing better than curling up on the couch with some Christmas cookies, hot chocolate and a holiday flick. Don’t know what to watch? Here are a few suggestions: